Turkey's National Innovation System Trends (2015–2019)
Between 2015 and 2019, Turkey's approach to research and development (R&D) underwent a significant shift. For the first time in 2017, business-funded R&D surpassed the combined funding from government and higher education sectors. While this indicates a growing private sector interest in innovation, the nature of this investment reveals a heavy concentration in specific strategic areas rather than a broad economic transformation.
The Dominance of Defense and Military Technology
A substantial portion of business-funded investment is directed toward military and dual-use technologies—technologies that can be used for both civilian and military purposes. This is most evident in the patent landscape. Aselsan, a principal military industry conglomerate, holds 54% of all resident patents in Turkey. To put this in perspective, the leading patent owner in Israel, Teva Pharmaceuticals, holds only 17% of its respective resident patents.
This strategic focus has yielded tangible economic results in trade. According to a June 2019 press release by the Anatolia Agency, the Turkish Exporters Assembly identified the defense and aerospace sector as the leader in export growth during the first five months of 2019.
[ไม่มีภาพประกอบ]Drivers and Barriers to Innovation
Government-led tax incentives are a primary driver for the increasing share of business-funded R&D. However, these incentives primarily benefit the manufacturing sector, which has remained competitive largely due to the Customs Union with the EU established in 1996. While foreign research funding grew from 2% of total spending in 2015 to 3.5% in 2017, systemic challenges remain.
The Gap Between Support and Production
There is a perceived mismatch between public support for innovation and the actual innovation occurring within the economy. Prof. Hasan Mandal, head of T.BITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey), has highlighted a lack of focus in public support for the transition from prototypes to full-scale production. He noted that R&D efforts have often been disconnected from needs analyses and the requirements of final consumers.
Sectoral Imbalances
While manufacturing is pushed toward innovation, other massive sectors remain stagnant. In 2018, the services and construction sectors accounted for 63.5% of the GDP. Because these sectors are largely shielded from competition, many firms remain profitable without innovating, allowing them to ignore government R&D support programs.
Academic Output and Human Capital
Despite an increase in patent applications and grants, Turkish inventive activity remains largely isolated from global collaboration networks. This isolation is reflected in scientific output, which declined by 5.2% between 2016 and 2018—the first such decline since 2002. Furthermore, publications continue to suffer from low citation rates and low levels of international co-authorship.
The Education Paradox
Turkey has seen a rapid expansion in tertiary education. Between 2016 and 2019, 30 new universities were founded, 20 of which were public institutions. By 2018, the gross enrolment ratio reached 109.5%, and the number of doctoral students grew by 22% to 95,100 since 2015.
However, this growth in quantity has not translated into employment or specialized skill sets. The unemployment rate for university graduates rose from 10.3% in 2008 to 12.7% in 2017. Additionally, only 2% of university entrants study natural sciences or mathematics, statistics, and computer science, significantly lower than the OECD averages of 6% and 5%, respectively.
[ไม่มีภาพประกอบ]Key Facts
- Private Funding: In 2017, business-funded R&D exceeded combined government and higher education funding for the first time.
- Patent Concentration: Aselsan owns 54% of all resident patents in Turkey.
- Economic Weight: Services and construction represented 63.5% of GDP in 2018 but show low innovation drive.
- Scientific Decline: Scientific output dropped by 5.2% between 2016 and 2018.
- STEM Gap: Only 2% of Turkish university students enter natural sciences or math/computer science, compared to 5-6% in other OECD nations.
- Education Growth: 30 universities were established between 2016 and 2019.
| Metric | Value/Trend | Period/Year |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign Research Funding | 2% → 3.5% | 2015 → 2017 |
| Scientific Output Change | -5.2% | 2016 – 2018 |
| Gross Enrolment Ratio | 109.5% | 2018 |
| Doctoral Students | 95,100 (+22%) | Since 2015 |
| Graduate Unemployment | 10.3% → 12.7% | 2008 → 2017 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Turkish innovation system heavily focused on defense?
Business-funded R&D is largely driven by government tax incentives and strategic priorities, leading to a concentration in military and dual-use technologies, as evidenced by Aselsan's dominant share of resident patents.
What is the main criticism regarding public R&D support in Turkey?
According to Prof. Hasan Mandal of T.BITAK, public support is insufficient and lacks focus on the critical transition from prototypes to actual production, often failing to align with the needs of final consumers.
How does Turkey's STEM education compare to other OECD countries?
Turkey has a significantly lower percentage of students in STEM fields; only 2% of university entrants study natural sciences or mathematics, statistics, and computer science, while the OECD average ranges between 5% and 6%.
Why do the services and construction sectors innovate less?
These sectors, which made up 63.5% of the GDP in 2018, are largely shielded from competition. This allows firms to remain profitable even without investing in R&D or utilizing government innovation programs.
What happened to Turkey's scientific output recently?
Between 2016 and 2018, scientific output declined by 5.2%, marking the first decrease since 2002, accompanied by low international co-authorship and citation rates.